October 23, 2003
Glenn Mahone/Doc Mirelson
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1898/1600)
Lori Rachul
Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
(Phone: 216/433-2901)
RELEASE: 03-339
NASA NAMES NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR GLENN RESEARCH CENTER
NASA announced today Richard S. Christiansen is the new Deputy
Director for the agency's Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland,
Ohio, effective Nov. 16. Christiansen has been the NASA Dryden Flight
Research Center (DFRC) Associate Director for Planning since January
2001.
"Rich will be a terrific addition to the Glenn management team," said
Fred Gregory, NASA's Deputy Administrator. "He will help us sharpen
the cutting edge of technology, strengthen old alliances and develop
new ones. He is a highly qualified NASA veteran familiar with our
many research projects, management and resource allocation," Gregory
added.
Dr. Julian Earls, Director, Glenn Research Center, said, "I am
thrilled Rich agreed to come to GRC, and I look forward to a close
working relationship with him. His reputation, experience, and strong
technical and management background will enhance our microgravity,
propulsion, communications and technology research and development
programs."
Prior to his assignment to DFRC, Christiansen served as NASA's
Aerospace Technology Enterprise director of programs from Oct. 11,
1998 to June 30, 2000. He was responsible for strategic management of
all Enterprise programs, planned and conducted for national and
agency goals in aeronautics and space transportation. He has served
as a division director or program manager in several organizations
since his arrival at NASA Headquarters in 1986. From 1997 to 1998, he
served as acting associate administrator of the Aeronautics and Space
Transportation Technology Enterprise, for which he received the NASA
Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1999.
"I have worked with many people at Glenn in the past with great
success, so I am truly excited about working with all the Glenn team.
I am eager to hear all their ideas and to work with Julian to
incorporate them into our overall mission. I expect to spend a lot of
time out of the office talking to people and building good
relationships," Christiansen said.
Christiansen's past experiences will assist him in his new role. He
has extensive NASA headquarters and field center program-management
experience in the formulation, advocacy and assessment of basic and
focused research and technology programs. He has worked on programs
spanning the gamut of research and development from fundamental
materials research to flight demonstrations of advanced systems. His
experience covers the entire aerospace flight regime from low-speed
general aviation to reusable launch systems for low-cost access to
space.
In 1980, he worked for NASA's Ames Research Center and was responsible
for conducting systems analysis and large-scale aerodynamic and
propulsion wind-tunnel tests of subsonic vertical or short take-off
and landing concepts. In 1985, Christiansen went to NASA Headquarters
on a developmental assignment as program manager for the United
States and United Kingdom advanced short take-off and vertical
landing program and several flight research programs.
He began his aerospace career in 1978 with General Dynamics, while in
his senior year at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona,
Calif. While there, he conducted wind tunnel tests and analysis on
various missile designs for the U.S. Navy. Following graduation, he
was a part-time lecturer for aerospace engineering classes at Cal
Poly.
Since becoming a member of the Senior Executive Service in 1994, he
earned the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive in 1998 and
again in 2003 for his sustained superior accomplishments in program
management.
Christiansen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace
engineering in 1979 from California State Polytechnic University and
a Master of Science degree in aeronautics and astronautics in 1985
from Stanford University.
For more information about NASA and the Glenn Research Center on the
Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
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